Opportunity Information: Apply for USDA NIFA SBIR 003770
Apply for USDA NIFA SBIR 003770
- The National Institute of Food and Agriculture in the agriculture business and commerce employment, labor and training natural resources science and technology and other research and development sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "SBIR Phase I Commercialization Assistance Program" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 10.212 Small Business Innovation Research.
- This funding opportunity was created on Jun 18, 2012 and posted on May 4, 2012.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Jun 22, 2012. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- The funding agency has allocated a total of $150,000.00 to eligible and selected applicants.
- Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $150,000.00 in funding.
- Eligible applicants include: For profit organizations other than small businesses Public and State controlled institutions of higher education Private institutions of higher education Small businesses Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification).
- Applications may be submitted by private companies, Small Business Development Centers and Universities. Award recipients may subcontract to organizations not eligible to apply provided such organizations are necessary for the conduct of the project.
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Opportunity Summary:
The SBIR Phase I Commercialization Assistance Program (CAP) is a USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) grant opportunity designed to strengthen the real-world market readiness of USDA SBIR Phase I awardees. Rather than funding new technical R and D work directly, this program funds an organization (or team) to deliver structured commercialization assistance to companies that already won USDA SBIR Phase I awards in fiscal years 2012, 2013, and 2014. In practice, the award recipient acts as a commercialization support provider, offering training and guidance intended to help early-stage SBIR-funded innovators move from a promising concept toward a product, service, or technology that can compete in the marketplace.
The program is built around three core goals. First, it aims to improve the commercialization skills of SBIR Phase I recipients through introductory training that participants can access at a time and place that works for them, suggesting flexible delivery formats such as online modules, remote coaching, workshops, or hybrid options. Second, it is specifically meant to raise the quality of commercialization plans produced by Phase I awardees, helping them better articulate the business case, market opportunity, competitive landscape, regulatory and production considerations, go-to-market strategy, and financial path needed to attract follow-on funding or advance into later-stage development. Third, the program emphasizes evaluation and learning by requiring the provider to monitor the impacts of the training on Phase I recipients, meaning the recipient organization should track outcomes such as improved commercialization plan quality, participant progress, or other measurable indicators of readiness and capability.
This opportunity is a discretionary grant under Funding Opportunity Number USDA NIFA SBIR 003770, tied to CFDA 10.212 (Small Business Innovation Research). The funding activity categories span agriculture, business and commerce, employment and training, natural resources, and science and technology R and D, which reflects the SBIR program's broad agricultural innovation scope and the cross-cutting business support role of commercialization assistance. The estimated total funding for the opportunity is $150,000, with an award ceiling of $150,000 and no stated minimum award floor, and there is no cost sharing or matching requirement, which can reduce barriers for organizations that want to serve as the commercialization assistance provider.
Eligibility is relatively broad and geared toward entities capable of delivering effective commercialization training and support. Applications may be submitted by private companies, Small Business Development Centers, and universities, with the eligible applicant categories including small businesses, for-profit organizations other than small businesses, and public or private institutions of higher education, plus other entities as clarified in the full announcement. The program also allows award recipients to subcontract work to organizations that are not themselves eligible to apply, as long as those partners are necessary to carry out the project. This structure supports collaborative models where, for example, a university center might lead the effort while subcontracting specialized market research, investor readiness coaching, or sector-specific regulatory expertise.
Key timing details indicate the opportunity was posted May 4, 2012, with an original closing date of June 15, 2012 that was extended to a current closing date of June 22, 2012, and it was later archived July 15, 2012. Applicants needing access help were directed to the NIFA Help Desk by phone during standard federal business hours. Overall, the grant is best understood as a capacity-building and acceleration program: it funds an intermediary organization to train and coach USDA SBIR Phase I awardees so those awardees can produce stronger commercialization plans, make more informed market decisions, and ultimately improve the odds that federally funded innovations reach customers and generate measurable economic and agricultural impact.
SBIR Phase I Commercialization Assistance Program (CAP) - FAQs
What is the SBIR Phase I Commercialization Assistance Program (CAP)?
The SBIR Phase I Commercialization Assistance Program (CAP) is a USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) grant opportunity intended to strengthen the real-world market readiness of USDA SBIR Phase I awardees. It supports structured commercialization assistance (training, guidance, and support) rather than funding new technical research and development.
Who is this grant intended to fund directly?
The grant funds an organization (or team) that will act as a commercialization assistance provider. The provider delivers training and guidance to companies that already received USDA SBIR Phase I awards.
Does this program fund new R&D or technical development work?
No. This program is described as not directly funding new technical R&D work. Instead, it funds structured commercialization assistance to improve market readiness and plan quality for prior Phase I awardees.
Which SBIR awardees are the target participants for the commercialization assistance?
The program is designed to serve USDA SBIR Phase I awardees from fiscal years 2012, 2013, and 2014.
What are the main goals of the CAP project?
The opportunity is built around three core goals: (1) improve commercialization skills of SBIR Phase I recipients through introductory training with flexible access; (2) raise the quality of commercialization plans produced by Phase I awardees; and (3) evaluate and monitor the impacts of the training on participants to support learning and measurable outcomes.
What kinds of training formats are allowed or encouraged?
The description highlights flexibility in delivery, suggesting formats such as online modules, remote coaching, workshops, or hybrid options so participants can access training at a time and place that works for them.
What topics should the commercialization assistance help SBIR Phase I awardees address?
The assistance is intended to help Phase I awardees better articulate key elements of a commercialization plan, including the business case, market opportunity, competitive landscape, regulatory and production considerations, go-to-market strategy, and the financial path needed to attract follow-on funding or move into later-stage development.
What evaluation or measurement expectations are included in this opportunity?
The provider is required to monitor impacts of the training on Phase I recipients. The opportunity mentions tracking outcomes such as improved commercialization plan quality, participant progress, or other measurable indicators of readiness and capability.
What federal agency and program are associated with this grant?
The grant is offered through USDA's National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) and is associated with the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) program.
What is the Funding Opportunity Number (FON) for this grant?
The Funding Opportunity Number listed is USDA NIFA SBIR 003770.
What CFDA program is this tied to?
The opportunity is tied to CFDA 10.212 (Small Business Innovation Research).
What type of grant is this?
This is described as a discretionary grant opportunity.
What are the funding activity categories for this opportunity?
The funding activity categories span agriculture, business and commerce, employment and training, natural resources, and science and technology R&D. This reflects the broad agricultural innovation scope of SBIR and the business-support nature of commercialization assistance.
How much funding is available?
The estimated total funding amount is $150,000.
What is the maximum award amount (award ceiling)?
The award ceiling is $150,000.
Is there a minimum award amount?
No minimum award floor is stated in the provided information.
Is cost sharing or matching required?
No. The opportunity states there is no cost sharing or matching requirement.
Who is eligible to apply?
Eligibility is described as relatively broad for entities capable of delivering commercialization training and support. Applications may be submitted by private companies, Small Business Development Centers, and universities. Eligible applicant categories include small businesses, for-profit organizations other than small businesses, and public or private institutions of higher education, along with other entities as clarified in the full announcement.
Can the award recipient subcontract parts of the work?
Yes. The program allows award recipients to subcontract work to organizations that are not themselves eligible to apply, as long as those partners are necessary to carry out the project.
What kinds of collaborations does the program structure support?
The structure supports collaborative models where a lead organization (for example, a university center) could subcontract specialized functions such as market research, investor readiness coaching, or sector-specific regulatory expertise.
When was the opportunity posted?
The opportunity was posted on May 4, 2012.
What was the original closing date, and was it extended?
The original closing date was June 15, 2012, and it was extended to a current closing date of June 22, 2012.
When was the opportunity archived?
The opportunity was archived on July 15, 2012.
Where could applicants get technical help accessing the application system?
Applicants needing access help were directed to the NIFA Help Desk by phone during standard federal business hours.
In practical terms, what does the funded organization do?
In practice, the award recipient functions as a commercialization support provider. The role centers on delivering training and guidance that helps early-stage SBIR-funded innovators move from a promising concept toward a product, service, or technology capable of competing in the marketplace.
What is the overall purpose or intended impact of the CAP grant?
The grant is positioned as a capacity-building and acceleration program. It aims to help SBIR Phase I awardees produce stronger commercialization plans, make more informed market decisions, and improve the likelihood that federally funded innovations reach customers and generate measurable economic and agricultural impact.
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Applicants also applied for:
Applicants who have applied for this opportunity (USDA NIFA SBIR 003770) also looked into and applied for these:
| Funding Opportunity |
|---|
| Small Business Innovation Research Program (SBIR) Phase I Commercialization Assistance Program (CAP) Apply for USDA NIFA SBIR 003220 Funding Number: USDA NIFA SBIR 003220 Agency: National Institute of Food and Agriculture Category: Agriculture Business and Commerce Employment, Labor and Training Natural Resources Science and Technology and other Research and Development Funding Amount: $100,000 |
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